Compartmented article and method of making the same



Sept. 22, 1910 WIINIHH! mmm \IHNWIININWIIIHIIIHIIWINIWIIIIIIIIlili M.KUTSCH COMPARTMENTED ARTICLE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Nov.28, 1967 I V511):- llillmlflllllllllllHIIHIiIUININIlMIIlmllmllllm {f nibQ QLLE BY a a United States Patent 3,529,372 COMPARTMENTED ARTICLE ANDMETHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Mathias Kutsch, In der Stesse 4, Attendorn,Westphalia, Germany Filed Nov. 28, 1967, Ser. No. 686,233 Claimspriority, application Germany, Dec. 1, 1966, 1,299,851 Int. Cl. G09f1/10 U.S. Cl. 40-1242 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Acompartmented article is made by folding a web of sheet material insuccessively opposite direction along a plurality of spacedsubstantially parallel first lines to thereby provide elongatedsubstantially parallel pockets each of which has an open side and isconstituted by overlapping sheet material panels. Thereupon theoverlapping panels are secured to one another along a plurality ofspaced substantially parallel second lines which are inclined to thefirst lines and the pockets are thereby subdivided into separatecompartments.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally tocompartmented articles, and more particularly to articles of this typewhich are made from sheet material. Still more particularly, the presentinvention relates to a compartmented article and a method of making thesame wherein resort is had to the folding of sheet material to providethe article in a most advantageous and simple manner.

compartmented articles of the type here in question are already known.They find use in a variety of applications, for instance as game boardsfor games which are to be movable because they have to be taken along intravels, as posters, for display purposes, as signs, and for similarapplications. Such articles, in the type of construction known from theprior art, consists of a suitable backing which is usually rigid and inform of a sheet of wood, metal, cardboard, pressboard or the like. Fixedto one surface of this backing are elongated strips of a material whichmay be identical with or different from that of the backing and whichstrips may overlap or not overlap but extend in parallelism with oneanother. These strips are secured to the backing in a certain desired,manner, usually along one longitudinal edge thereof, to provide anelongated pocket having an open side, but intermediate the endstransversely of the longitudinal edge so as to subdivide this pocketinto a plurality of compartments each of which also has an open side.Various articles can then be introduced into the individualcompartments. Such articles may consist of fiat pieces of material onwhich indicia are printed or otherwise provided, they may be symbols cutout of or otherwise produced from sheet material, or they may beconstituted in other ways. If the articles are in form of letters or inform of pieces of sheet material on which letters are printed orotherwise reproduced, the sign can be made by combining the requiredletters into words which is done simply by inserting each article intoone of the compartments wherein it is held in its intended position. Ofcourse, this is only a single example, and many other applications arepossible. For instance, this type of compartmented articles isparticularly suitable as a chessboard for travel-chess game sets. Inthis case it is of course necessary to provide the support and theindividual strips with markings which denote the various fields of thechess-board.

Regardless of the type of application which is chosen for thesecompartmented articles, it will be evident that the production of thevarious individual members which are required, namely the backing andthe individual strips which have to be secured thereto, and thesubsequent affixing of these members to one another, is time consumingand therefore expensive. This expense is of course increased by the factthat the individual members must be secured to one another, andfurthermore that they must be secured to one another in preciselypredetermined relationship. This is particularly diflicult to do if theindividual members themselves are provided with indicia, for instancelines, outlines of game fields, or the like, which must be preciselyaligned with one another, as for instance in the case of a chess-boardwhere it is necessary that no ovelapping of adjacent fields take place.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes theaforementioned disadvantages.

More particularly, the present invention provides a compartmentedarticle which, while overcoming these disadvantages, is at the same timemuch simpler to manufacture and to assemble than anything known in thisfield.

The present invention not only facilitates manufacture and assembly of acompartmented article of the type in question, but also assures thatundesirable and aesthetically displeasing errors in assembly, such asoverlapping of indicia or the like, can be avoided.

The invention relates not only to a compartmented ar tcle itself, butalso to a method of making such an article in accordance with whichmethod a web of sheet material is folded in successively oppositedirections along a plurality of spaced substantially parallel firstlines so as to provide a plurality of elongated substantially parallelpockets each of Which has an open side and each of which is constitutedby overlapping sheet material panels. To complete making of the articlein accordance with my method, the overlapping sheet material panels aresecured to one another along a plurality of spaced substantiallyparallel second lines which are inclined to the aforementioned firstlines, or, putting this differently to the elongation of the pockets,and thereby the pockets are subdivided into separate compartments eachof which can at least partially accommodate an article therewithin, itbeing clear that each of these compartments of course has an open side.

It is evident that by resorting to my invention a compartmented articlecan be produced from a single web of sheet material, thus eliminatingthe manufacture of a great number of individual members which mustthereupon be joined together. The simplicity and efiiciency of myinvent-ion are clearly obvious, as is the fact that re sort to myinvention will greatly reduce the expenses in volved in manufacturingarticles of this type and will also speed the manufacturing processsignificantly.

-It is clear that a foil or web utilized in accordance with my inventioncan be provided with indicia indicating the folding lines, the securinglines, outlining playing fields, providing color coding for theinsertion of symbol-carrying or symbol-incorporating articles, and insimilar manner.

I have found it particularly advantageous if the web is folded in such amanner that along the fold lines the occurrence of sharp creases isavoided. In accordance with my invention it is desirable that each foldtake place with a relatively small radius so that any two adjacent andsuperimposed sheet material panels which are joined by such fold willnot be in direct surface-to-surface contact with one another but willinstead bulge slightly in a cushion effect, intermediate the securinglines. Such bulging does not adversely affect the flatness of theoverall articles; it does, however, assure that a symbol-carrying orsymbol-embodying article which hereinafter for the sake of conveniencewill be referred to as a symbol card, will be retained in the respectivecompartment as a result of the slight pressure exerted on it and whichis occasioned by the springy relationship resulting from theaforementioned feature. Thus, each such symbol card is protected againstundesired shifting of its position, and against accidental dislodgingfrom the respective compartment. Furthermore, inasmuch as adjacentsuperimposed panels will be spaced from one another, to the maximumextent intermediate to adjacent parallel folds but Will approach oneanother more closely in the direction towards these folds, it is clearthat at the open side of each pocket and therefore of each compartmentconstituting a subdivision of the respective pocket there will bepresent inclined surface portions which will serve to guide therespective symbol card for easier entry into the compartment inquestion.

It will be evident that such securing of the overlapping sheet materialpanels to one another can be effected in a variety of ways, includingbonding in a suitable manner, for instance by means of an adhesivesubstance, welding if the sheet material lends itself to such treatment,and mechanical connection. The present invention is particularlyadvantageous for compartmented articles into whose compartments symbolcards are to be introduced according to a system of coordinates as inchess, checkers or the like. Advantageously, the configuration of eachof these compartments will be quadratic or rectangular, although otherconfigurations are possible. Similarly, the arrangement of thecompartments may be regular or irregular and the size of thecompartments may be identical or may differ.

The number of applications to which the compartmented article accordingto my invention lends itself is extremely large. For instance, its useas a game board for such games as chess and checkers, will suggestitself. Furthermore, it can be used as a sign, whereon the informationto be conveyed must be varied from time to time. It can be used forestablishing varying displays, such as the organizational structure of acompany, statistical displays, assignment charts, load charts,scientific displays, engineering displays, and the like. It can also beused for status indications of equipment and the like, and fordecorative purposes. In fact, if the article consists of a transparentmaterial it can even be used as an overlay over surfaces on whichinformation has been reproduced according to a predetermined schemewhich is to be made visible or selectively partially visible if thearticle is locally opaque, through the article overlying the surface.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 illustrates, in a fragmentaryplan view, a printed web suitable for making an article according to myinvention, but prior to such utilization;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrating a completed articleassembled from the web shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of FIG. 2;

4 FIG. 4 is a side view of FIG. 2 as seen in the direction of the arrowIV associated with FIG. 12; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary detail view of FIG. 4 on an enlarged scale, andshowing two symbol-carrying articles inserted into respectivecompartments.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Discussing now the drawing indetail, and firstly FIG. 1 thereof, it will be seen that I haveillustrated there a fiat web or foil 1 which may consist of variousdifferent materials, for instance paper, cardboard, metal, syntheticplastic, thin sheet metal or the like. Because this foil 1 is initiallycompletely flat it can be supplied on and removed from rolls incontinuous strips and can be cut or otherwise trimmed to the desiredsize. While it is clear that the foil 1 may be completely plain, I haveillustrated it in FIG. 1 as being provided with a printed pattern. Ofcourse, instead of printed this pattern can be painted on, etched on,engraved or provided in any other desired man ner. In FIG. 1 the patternis assumed to define the colored fields of a chess board, such fieldsbeing identified with reference numeral 2, and being outlined byintersecting lines 3 and 4 which extend at right angles to one another.Beyond this, FIG. 1 also provides intermediate successive adjacent lines3 a guide line 5 which indicate the line along which the foil issubsequently to be folded. Evidently, the guide line 5 could beeliminated just as the other indicia which are shown in FIG. 1 could besupplemented or replaced by letters, numbers, symbols, pictures, coloredareas or geometrical configurations or the like.

To convert the web or foil 1 into an article according to my novelinvention, such as illustrated in FIG. 2, the web is folded in a mannermost clearly seen in FIGS. 4 and 5. In other words, it is folded along aplurality of spaced parallel first lines and in successively oppositedirections. Thus, the web is first folded about the lines 5 from thebottom of FIG. 1 upwardly in the direction towards the top of FIG. 1,and the next fold is then made in reverse direction and about that oneof the lines 3 which is located immediately downwardly adjacent the line5, the term downwardly here referring to the relationship of these linesas seen in FIG. 1. The result of such folding is an article as shown inFIG. 2, and in the side view of the arrow IV this article has theconfiguration visible in FIG. 4, and constitutes a plurality ofelongated pockets 1b each of which has an open side.

FIG. 4 also shows that the folds are made in such a manner that sharpcreases along the fold lines 3 and 5 are avoided. In this manner, eachfold is bounded by a rounded fold line or edge 6, 7 having a smallradius of curvature which is shown in somewhat exaggerated manner inFIG. 5 for the sake of clear demonstration. The rounding along the edges6 of the folds assures that each edge 6 forms with the adjacent panelportion 1a and an inlet slot which tapers in the direction towards theinterior of the respective pocket 1b and which thus facilitatesinsertion of a symbol card 8 (compare FIG. 5) which latter is guided bythe converging cross-sectional configuration. Because the overlappingpanel portions of each fold (compare FIGS. 4 and 5) are not in directsurface-to-surface engagement but rather define with one another asomewhat bulging cushion-like configuration, a symbol card such as theones identified with reference numeral 8 in FIG. 5 which is introducedinto the respect1ve pockets 111, will be subjected to the resilientengagement along the edges 6 and will therefore be retained in therespective pockets against movement and/or dislodging.

Up to this point, the folding of the foil or web shown in FIG. 1 hasresulted in formation of elongated pockets 1b. These are furthersubdivided by securing the overlapping panel portions to one another, bywelding, by adhesive means, by bonding in general, by mechanicalconnection or in any other suitable or desired manner, along securinglines '9, 10 which are inclined to the folding lines 3, usuallyextending normal thereto, and which are spaced from one anothertransversely of their own elongation that is in the direction ofelongation of the folding lines 3, 5. This linear securing along thelines 9, subdivides each of the pockets 1b into two or more (dependingupon the number of securing lines) compartments, each of which isadapted to accept one of the symbol cards 8 or an analogous member.

One of the considerable advantages of the present invention is that thefolding of the web, as well as the joining along the securing lines 9,10 can be effected fully automatically by means of existing well-knownmachinery.

FIG. 4 shows that the completed article may be supported on and/orafiixed to a base 11, for instance to give it rigidity, or increasedrigidity. Evidently, however, the base 11 can be eliminated and thearticle may, for instance be suspended from a support, or mounted in aframe 12 as shown in FIG. 2. Of course, either of these possibilitiescan again be combined with the provision of the member 11 if this is thecase. The article, shown in FIG. 2 can, of course, also be provided as afolding board, for instance if it is intended as a game board fortravel-chess or the like or in any other desired manner. It is clearlywithin the scope of the present invention to provide indicia other thanthose illustrated on the article, or on a frame or mat surrounding it,for instance the indicia which are necessary to establish the variouscoordinants on a chess board. It is also to be understood that foldingcan be effected in ways other than illustrated herein, that the foldsneed not be exactly parallel, but the lines 9, 10 need not be paralleland/or normal to the lines 3, 5 and that other modifications arepossible which will in no way detract from the scope of the invention.

It has already been pointed out that different types of material aresuitable for the foil 1. It will also be clear, however, that the foil 1can be completely opaque, partly opaque, or completely transparent ifthis is desired. In the latter case, the symbols on the symbol card 8may be so placed that they will be completely located within therespective compartments when the symbol card 8 is introduced and only agripping portion of each symbol card 8 may extend outwardly of therespective compartments. Again, part of the symbol or symbols carried onthe respective cards 8 may be visible outside and part inside therespective compartment if the web 1 is of transparent material. Thisdepends to some extent upon the purposes for which the article accordingto the present invention is to be utilized; for instance if articles areintroduced into the compartments so that, when a variety of articles hasbeen introduced in a predetermined manner, the entire structure with theinserted cards or articles '8 is to be photocopied in a conventionalphotocopier, it may be necessary to have the symbols to be copiedlocated on the outwardly extending portions of the respective cards 8because copying may not be possible or may not be practical through thematerial of the web 1 even if such material is transparent. It is alsoclear that the configuration of the various indicia which arepre-provided, namely pre-printed or otherwise provided on the foil orweb 1 need not be identical with that which has been shown in thedrawing. Thus, each of the colored fields 2 shown in FIG. 1 may, forinstance be somewhat extended in the direction towards thenext-following folding line 5, the 1 be located within the respectivepockets 1b, and it being understood that in this instance the foil orweb 1 will be of opaque material.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other types ofarticles, differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in acompartmented article, it is not intended to be limited to the detailsshown since various modifications and structural changes may be madewithout departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inven tionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent isset forth in the appended claims:

1. A compartmented article, comprising a web of foldable sheet materialprovided with a plurality of pleats each consisting of a plurality ofpairs of elongated overlapping panel portions of said web which definewith one another elongated substantially parallel pockets each having anopen side bounded by an edge portion and a closed side bounded by atransition portion extending between the two panel portions of eachpair, at least one panel portion of each pair being'bounded on a radiusof curvature so selected that said edge portion is resiliently urgedtowards abutment with the respectively underlying panel portion of thepair.

2. An article as defined in claim 1, wherein said web consists ofweldable material, and wherein said securing means comprises a pluralityof elongated welded seams each coinciding with one of said lines.

3. An article as defined in claim 1, wherein said securing meanscomprises an adhesive material.

4. An article as defined in claim 1, wherein said web consists of atransparent material.

5. An article as defined in claim 1, wherein said web is provided withindicia coinciding with, and indicative of the use intended for,respective ones of said compartments.

6. An article as defined in claim 1, wherein said web is provided withindicia outlining predetermined web sections located partly within andpartly externally adjacent to the open sides of at least some of saidcompartments.

7. An article as defined in claim 1, and further comprisingindicia-bearing articles adapted to be at least partially accommodatedwithin, and to be withdrawn from, the respective compartments at thewill of a user.

8. A method of making a compartmented article, comprising the steps offolding a web of sheet material in successively opposite directionsalong a plurality of spaced substantially parallel first lines so as toprovide a plurality of elongated substantially parallel pockets eachhaving an open side and being constituted by two overlapping sheetmaterial panels, at least one said sheet material panel bulgingtransversely of the elongation of the respective pocket on a radius soselected that a rounded edge portion extending along said open side isurged biasedly in direction towards the other of said two panels andsecuring the overlapping sheet material panels to one another along aplurality of spaced substantially parallel second lines which areinclined to said first lines, to thereby subdivide said pockets intoseparate compartments each of which is adapted to at least partiallyaccommodate an article therewithin.

9. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the step of securing theoverlapping panels to one another comprises adhesively joining thepanels along said second lines.

10. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein said sheet material isweldable, and wherein the step of securing the overlapping panels to oneanother comprises Welding the panels along said second lines.

11. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the step of folding thesheet material comprises bending said one sheet material panel with arelatively small radius in such a manner that the panels overlap oneanother in other than surface-to-surface relationship for springyengagement of articles inserted into said compartments.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1939 King 40-159 2/1964 Upton40-124 US. Cl. X.R. 273136

